PIKE. 49 



buttonhole, on the left hand side of their coat or 

 jacket, always taking care to secure the point from 

 injuring them. My young friend was waiting very 

 anxiously for my arrival. On looking at my watch, 

 I found it not yet quite the time we agreed to 

 meet ; however, perceiving his impatience to wet a 

 line, I spent but little time in complimenting him 

 on the punctuality of his keeping the time agreed 

 on to meet, and on his having all the necessary 

 tackle, bait fish, &c. in the best order, but imme- 

 diately directed him to proceed in the following 

 manner. 



" First put your rod together, fix the joints one 

 within the other firmly, and mind, while so doing, 

 that the rings on the different joints are in a direct 

 line with each other to the large ring at the top, 

 by which means the line from the winch will then 

 run in a straight direction, consequently much 

 more free than if the rings were in a zigzag, or 

 crooked line; now fix the winch about ten inches 

 up the butt of the rod, in a line with the rings on 

 the other joints, and draw some of the line from the 

 winch, passing it through every ring, and out of the 

 top large one; now continue to draw as much 

 line as about half the length of the rod to the end 

 of the line (which should be looped), and fasten 

 your trace with looping it to the loop of the trolling 



